Woodland caribou aren’t the only ones in trouble!

Not only are woodland caribou in serious trouble due to habitat loss, but biologists at Penn State University are sounding the alarm bell over arctic caribou populations, affected by climate change. Because of warmer springs, plants are sprouting earlier - which means that by the time the caribou arrive at their breeding grounds, the plants are older and less nutritious. The mother caribou are unable to get the proper nutrition during pregnancy, and more calves are dying as a result, according to the study. As biologist Jeffrey Kerby explains it: “The animals show up expecting a food bonanza, but they find that the cafeteria already has closed.”

As reported by the CBC, these findings show that melting sea ice can also have a great impact on land-dwelling creatures.

It looks like caribou in all regions are in struggle to survive due to negative impacts on the environment. Greenpeace Canada is working to protect woodland caribou that currently reside in our Boreal forests – this species of caribou is also facing major calf mortality due to changes in habitat from logging and other industrial activity.